Principal Investigator Bradley Olsen
Project Website http://deshpande.mit.edu/portfolio/project/engineered-protein-treatments-hair-r…
Repeated washing, drying, straightening, and dyeing of hair breaks the protective cuticle and damages the hair. Treatment with lipids protects the hair surface and makes it easier to comb, but is easily removed by shampooing. Olsen’s lab is poised to develop novel polymer-based technology that binds to the hair, providing persistent bioactives that protect the cuticle and repair damage on a wide range of hair types.